"What we are criticising is his supine and short-termist approach. I am sure that the Prime Minister means well, but his negotiating tactic has always been to give everything away in the hope that people will be nice to him in return. Before the Prime Minister had even got on the plane, he had already shown that he would do anything to demonstrate his good relationship with China."
1. The sum-total of her approach: Ms Badenoch would take a muscular approach where she ignores the breakdown of
democracy and the rule of law here and goes to China demanding they observe democracy etc.
2. Has anyone ever considered that the Chinese and others are simply trying to solve the problem of running a
country and have arrived at different answers? I happen to think there may be other ways but people are more receptive
to ideas that, if they are not suggested by example rather than by precept are suggested respectfully by people who
practice them.
(i). What if I am wrong? The worst case scenario: we should have a sound democracy and freedom, and better
lives here, for we should be living correctly. But I do not think it reasonable and in keeping with our character to
try and enforce, elsewhere, standards we refuse to observe ourselves.
3. If Ms Badenoch thinks, as I do, that democracy and certain rules are indispensable, why does she neglect
them here?
4. What Ms Badenoch would do must lead to resentment and conflict. It is duplicitous and beneath us.
5. I am unable to understand how Ms Badenoch has read history: I cannot conceive that a country that once
endured the indignity of the opium wars would be welcoming to Ms Badenoch trampling on democracy, decency and the
rule of law here and seeking to impose them by force in Beijing and Hong Kong.
6. I can think of nothing more short-termist, in international relations, than to try and impose standards on
others that a person is unwilling himself to bear, all in the hope, presumably, that they will not discover one's own
neglect of those standards.
5. This country is decent; Ms Badenoch's conduct is obscene.